St. Pats is about luck, good jokes and all-day parties

The tradition of St. Patrick's Day is one that everyone can get behind. After all, who doesn't love a day every year dedicated to eating huge amounts of food, imbibing on the wonders of Guinness Stout and Irish whiskey and toasting good friends and wonderful family.

But St. Patrick's Day is also a day of remembering the good fortune in your life. Because of the luck associated with all things Irish, it's important that everyone recall the good things in their lives around St. Pat's.

Whether you relish the fact that you have a good job or marvel in your luck at building a great family unit, it's important to take a few moments in between swigs of Smithwicks to thank the lucky gods for those things that make you happy.

And since luck is such a big part of the St. Pat's experience, it's also important to know why some things in life are considered lucky in the first place. So, keep an eye out for all the things on this list to make your life as lucky as possible. After all, you can't have enough good fortune.

Ladybugs: When a ladybug lands on you it is said to be good luck. Killing a ladybug is considered bad luck.

Scarabs: Scarabs were considered good luck beetles in ancient Egypt.

Rainbow: Rainbows are lucky because at the end of the rainbow is a pot of gold. A rainbow also has seven different colors, seven being the luckiest of all numbers.

Tigers: Tigers are considered lucky in Chinese astrology. The tiger is also considered a protector against certain evils including theft and fire.

Rabbits Foot: Many rabbit feet are fitted to be carried on key chains for good luck and protection to the traveler.

Buddha figure: A Buddha charm or statue is thought of as being lucky, especially if you rub Buddha's belly.

Dream Catcher: Dream catchers are derived from Native American cultures and are considered good fortune because they catch negative images from dreams and have been known to ward of bad dreams.

Horseshoe: Horseshoes are thought to bring good fortune when they are hung up on the wall of a home or above a doorway. Blacksmiths that made horseshoes were considered to be lucky.

Pot of Gold: You find a pot of gold at the end of rainbow, making it really lucky.

Nautical star: The nautical star is a good luck symbol because it is seen as providing guidance for sailors.

The Number Seven: Probably the luckiest and most talked about number, the number seven is considered lucky by many different cultures. The number seven is a lucky number all over the world and is important in world religions like Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity.

Four Leaf Clover or Shamrock: St. Patrick's Day has made the four leaf clover a popular symbol of luck. Four leaf clovers do exist; they are just not as common as the three leaf variety. So if you find one, it is said to be good luck.

Bamboo: Bamboo is considered good luck, specifically a certain type, named Lucky Bamboo. Feng Shui experts suggest the use of bamboo in your house as good luck.

Wishbone: A wishbone is a symbol of good luck and it is also a wish maker. When you find the wishbone, two people give the wishbone a tug and each of them makes a wish. After the wishbone breaks, the person with the bigger piece will have their wish granted.

Falling Star: A falling star or a shooting star is lucky because it is rare to see one and you should make a wish after seeing one as it will be granted.

Lucky Penny: Many people bend over and pick up a penny lying on the ground if it is laying heads up, because it is considered good luck. Some people even keep the penny for good fortune.

Sharks Tooth: A sharks tooth is said to have protective and healing powers. They are also said to bring good luck. Many people wear them on necklaces or keep them somewhere in their house.

The Cross: Well known because of Christianity, the cross serves as good luck and a symbol to ward off evil and protect the person who bears it. Legend has it that the undead cannot attack you if you hold up a cross, the symbol of God, as good deflects evil. Many people wear crosses around their neck or carry a cross as a symbol of good luck and to keep them safe.

Garlic: Garlic was seen as a vampire vanquishing tool back in the middle ages. If you were to wear a chain of garlic around your neck the garlic was the closest thing to an antibiotic in the middle ages, so it was considered good luck to wear it and keep it close by.

Salt: Throwing salt over the shoulder is considered good luck, but spilling salt is bad luck. If you throw salt over your shoulder you are said to be putting the devil behind you. Superstitions about salt date back to biblical times when salt was a highly prized commodity, one reason why it was bad luck to spill salt. You should throw salt over your shoulder to ward off the devil, because the devil could be waiting over your left shoulder. Another reason spilling salt could be considered bad luck is because it is thought that Judas spilled salt at the Last Supper. Another belief is that your guardian angel (who can be found over your right shoulder) spills salt to warn you of evil nearby, so throw salt over your left shoulder to put salt in the devils eyes. It is also said that if you put a small layer of salt outside surrounding your entire house outside it will ward off evil.

Factoidz

KNOCK ON WOOD

The phrase used by people who rap their knuckles on a piece of wood hoping to stave off bad luck. It is used, often jokingly, by tapping one's head. The phrases are usually used when one is already experiencing some good fortune and hope that it will continue. The derivation may be the association that wood and trees have with good spirits in mythology, or with the Christian cross. It used to be considered good luck to tap trees to let the wood spirits within know you were there. Traditions of this sort still persist in Ireland.

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THE JOKES OF THE IRISH PUB

The good telling of a good joke is about as rich a tradition in Ireland as anything else in the country. In the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, we offer a few jokes to tell your friends on March 17.

n An Irishman, an Englishman and a Scotsman go into a pub. Each orders a pint of Guinness. Just as the bartender hands them over, three flies buzz down and land — one, two, three — in each of the pints.

The Englishman looks disgusted, pushes his pint away and demands another ... the Scotsman picks out the fly, shrugs and takes a long swallow.

The Irishman reaches in to the glass, grabs the fly between his fingers and shakes him as hard as he can, shouting "Spit it out, ya bloody bastard! Spit it out!"

n An Irish man has been at a pub all night drinking. The bartender finally says that the bar is closed. So your man stands up to leave and falls flat on his face. He figures he'll crawl outside and get some fresh air and maybe that will sober him up.

Once outside he stands up but again falls flat on his face. He crawls home. Reaching the door he tries to stand up and, yet again, falls flat on his face. He crawls through the door and up the stairs. When he reaches his bed he summons the last of his strength and tries one final time to stand.

It's no use. He tumbles into bed and is soon sound asleep, only to awaken the next morning to the sound of his wife standing over him shouting.

"So ... you've been out drinking again!"

"How did you know?" he asks, his head hung in shame.

"The pub called — you left your damn wheelchair down there again!"

n An Irish man shows up in a pub one day and orders three pints of Guinness. He takes sips from each glass until they are empty and calls the bartender for three more. The bartender says, "Sure, it's up to yourself, but wouldn't you rather I was bringing them one at a time? Then they'll be fresh and cold."

"Nah ..." your man says, "I'm preferrin' that ye bring ‘em three at a time. You see, me and me two brothers would meet at a pub and drink and have good times. Now one is in Australia, the other in Canada and I'm here. We agreed before we split up that we'd drink to each other's honour this way."

"Well," says the bartender, "that's a grand thing to do, all right. I'll bring the pints as you ask."

Well, time goes on and your man's peculiar habit is known and accepted by all the pub regulars. One day though, he comes in and orders only two pints. A hush falls over the pub. Naturally, everyone figures something happened to one of the brothers. A group of the regulars corner the bartender and finally persuade him to find out what happened. With a heavy heart, the bartender brings the two pints and says, "Here's your pints ... and let me offer my sincerest condolences. What happened?'

The Irish man looks extremely puzzled for a moment, and then starts laughing.

Every year, a number of local bars and restaurants throw all-day St. Patrick's Day parties. Some have special menus while others dedicate the entire day to this most jovial and jolly of holidays. Two of the biggest St. Pat's parties take place at McGee's Irish Pub and Restaurant, where they have been the home of St. Pat's in Anderson for more than a decade, and the Uptown Lounge and Restaurant where owner Shane Dowler, a native of Ireland, continues to showcase his heritage with a huge party.

And before all that happens, grab a bite of St. Pat's breakfast with the Betty C. Davenport Memorial St. Patrick's Day Breakfast.

Anderson Civic Center — 7 to 9 a.m. March 17

For years, Joe Davenport paid loving tribute to his wife by putting on the Betty C. Davenport Memorial St. Patrick's Day Breakfast. This free feast is open to the public and has grown by leaps and bounds each and every year. This year, John and Dixie Benca have taken the reins of this annual tradition and will put it on at the Anderson Civic Center on March 17.

The Civic Center is located at 3027 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Anderson. The event will be from 7 to 9 a.m. on March 17. For more information, email John Benca at jpbenca@gmail.com.

Uptown Lounge — All Day March 17

The Uptown is inviting any and all to come out with the whole family for a St. Patrick's Day celebration. They will have a children's play area complete with bouncy castle, an antique fire engine on display and games for all ages.

In the evening, Peartree Music Co. will play on the outdoor stage as green beer flows from the beer truck. There will also be beer pong and cornhole games played in the front parking lot and giveaways throughout the day and night.

On the menu will be drink specials and Guinness, as well as Shane Dowler's corned beef and cabbage family recipe. The Uptown Lounge is at 301 N. McDuffie St. in Anderson. For more information on the celebration, call 864.225.9552.

McGee's Irish Pub — All Day

Easily the biggest day on the McGee's calendar, St. Patrick's Day is a rite and ritual down on West Orr Street. There will be plenty of party favors given away all day long, as well as their traditional St. Patrick's Day menu including corned beef and cabbage, Irish Stew, Bangers and Mash and more. The outside parking lot will be filled with tented, outdoor dining and a beer garden. In the evening, live music from Emerald Road and T.J. Lanaghan will be heard all night long, and a limerick contest boasts a prize of free beer for a year to the winner. Oh, and don't forget to dress up, as they will have a Best Dressed Leprechaun award during the festivities. McGee's is at 116 W. Orr St. in Anderson. For more information, call 864.261.6401.